Ranging from baroque '60s pop to uptempo '86-flavored indie and then back to '79-style punk, "How I Learned To Write Backwards" expertly winds together so many strands of pop history with such personality, atmosphere, and style that there's never any doubt that you're listening to a band with vision. You might hear a bit of Phil Spector's Wall of Sound or Laura Nyro's soulful lyricism, but The Aislers Set use the past as inspiration rather than a blueprint, delivering a well-integrated sound more akin to the spice in the stew rather than the stock of the soup. Family Tree/Band members: Yoshi Nakamoto ­ ex-THE SCENIC VERMONT; Amy Linton ­ ex-HENRY'S DRESS; Wyatt Cusick ­ current-TRACK STAR; Alicia Vanden Heuval ­ ex-POUNDSIGN. Recommended if you like: Henry's Dress, ESG, The Fire Engines, The June Brides, The Pastels, and Unrest.